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Perspectives on Politics: Gendered Perceptions of Legislative Influence -
Gendered Perceptions of Legislative Influence By Jaclyn Kaslovsky, Washington University, Tabitha Koch, Rice University, and Michael P. Olson, Washington University Women legislators face a variety of gendered barriers both outside and inside the legislature. Yet, [...]
Bad Bunny and Super Bowl LX: How sports culture influences his musical playbook
Bad Bunny reveals his passion for sports in his lyrics, in which he mentions legends from MLB, the NBA, NFL and soccer.
Do scientists follow the data
Personal feelings about immigration subtly influenced how 71 teams of academics analysed the same figures in a study
Scientists’ political views change how they interpret identical data
Personal feelings about immigration subtly influenced how 71 teams of academics analysed the same figures in a study
Todd Monken Continues Ravens Pipeline With Ian Kolste Hire
Former Ravens offensive analyst Ian Kolste is joining Todd Monken’s Browns staff, continuing Cleveland’s Ravens-influenced approach.
Scott Galloway urges Big Tech boycott to influence Trump ICE policies
Small businesses struggled to observe the national shutdown to protest ICE. Here's why a boycott of companies like OpenAI and Amazon could be easier and more effective.
Electric fields flip the rules of water chemistry
nside electrochemical devices, strong electric fields dramatically alter how water molecules behave. New research shows that these fields speed up water dissociation not by lowering energy costs, but by increasing molecular disorder once ions form. The reaction becomes entropy-driven—exactly the opposite of what happens in ordinary water. The findings also reveal that intense fields can push water from neutral to highly acidic, with major implications for hydrogen production.
Night owl or early bird: Chronotype can influence your health and muscle strength
Being more active in the morning or afternoon is not just a matter of personal preference. Chronotype, which is each person's biological tendency to function better at certain times of the day, can play ...
Commentary: Farewell to Peter Duesberg, a godfather of scientific disinformation
Peter Duesberg squandered his scientific reputation by advancing a debunked theory about AIDS, but his influence on anti-vaccine activists lives on.
How your health is being commodified by social media
From heath tech developers to influencers, our health is being monetised – and we need to be aware of what's going on, says Deborah Cohen
New Doc by Former Colleagues Explores Asian Americans' Growing Political Leadership
Two Asian American professors with ties to York College have collaborated on a timely and engaging new documentary examining the growing political influence of Asian Americans.
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash
Trump warns Iraq against returning former PM al-Maliki to power amid worries about Iran influence
President Donald Trump is warning Iraqi officials that the U.S. would no longer support the country if its former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, returns to power
God, Science, and Andrew Huberman
Given his influence, it's not surprising that Huberman’s remarks went viral. Not only does he believe in God, it's not merely theoretical.
Exclusive: CIA moves to establish foothold in Venezuela following Maduro’s capture
The CIA is quietly working to establish a permanent US presence on the ground in Venezuela, spearheading the Trump administration’s plans to exert its new-found influence over the country’s future, according to multiple sources familiar with the planning.
9 influencers shaping health information online, for better or worse
The qualified medical experts, the pseudoscientific entertainers, and the MAHA mobilizers leading online health content today.
Books that shaped a universe: Reiff reflects on science, curiosity and imagination
For more than five decades, Patricia Reiff has explored the forces that shape Earth’s place in space. But when the Rice professor of physics and astronomy took the stage Jan. 15 for Friends of Fondren Library’s Books That Shaped My World series, her focus shifted from spacecraft and data to the books and people that have influenced how she thinks, teaches and lives.
Mathieu Lehanneur On Turning Science Into Emotional Design
From childhood influences to global recognition, Paris-based Mathieu Lehanneur, one of France’s leading designers, reveals how curiosity and experimentation drive his singular approach.
Outrage at European science center as director fired after study on glyphosate
A leading European chemical safety institute has fired the director of its cancer research center after the director launched an extensive testing program into the safety of the pesticide glyphosate, sparking concerns about chemical industry influence into what has been an independent research institution.
Trump’s ‘pay-to-play’ politics fuel a ‘new gilded age’, experts say
Major donors reap influence and material benefits, ethics experts argue, as money and governance intertwine
Trump revels in Davos about making the rich even richer
After it was announced that California Gov. Gavin Newsom would share his views on President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, MAGA influencer Katie Miller derided the Democrat for his presence at the event frequented by wealthy businessmen.
Trump’s Davos speech shows influence of deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller’s white identity politics
US president’s tirade against Somali Americans and insults to European leaders were of a piece with Miller’s worldview
CineFi intros digital credit union for entertainment industry
First Entertainment Credit Union launched CineFi as a digital credit union for TV, content creation and influencer professionals in the Atlanta area. This credit union aims to bridge the gap between financial services and the entertainment industry, according to a press release.
The influencer racing to save Thailand’s most endangered sea mammal
Amateur conservationist and social media influencer Theerasak 'Pop' Saksritawee has a rare bond with Thailand’s critically endangered dugongs. Pop raises an urgent alarm — before Thailand’s dugongs vanish forever
One Year Into Trump 2.0, Elon Musk Is Still Poised to Be Kingmaker
The neofascist tech oligarch was cast out of Trump’s inner circle, but his money and influence are still omnipresent.
Did a tennis decision influence the Bills' firing of Sean McDermott?
Mexico using 'weaponized immigration' to undermine US sovereignty, author of new book alleges
Author alleges Mexico uses consulates and migrant programs to influence US politics, claiming "weaponized immigration" undermines American sovereignty.
A “dormant” brain protein turns out to be a powerful switch
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have uncovered a surprising new way to influence brain activity by targeting a long-mysterious class of proteins linked to anxiety, schizophrenia, and movement disorders. Once thought to be mostly inactive, these proteins—called GluDs—turn out to play an active role in how brain cells communicate and form connections.
‘Brazen’ political influence of rich laid bare as wealth of billionaires reaches $18.3tn, says Oxfam
Governments opting for oligarchy while brutally repressing protests over austerity and lack of jobs, charity report says
Trump vows executive order to protect Army-Navy game from competing football broadcasts
The announcement Saturday night signaled an unusually direct effort by the White House to influence college football scheduling and television programming.
Science 4 Everyone: How do water sources influence where people live?
Storm Team4 Meteorologist (and science teacher) Ryan Miller explains how the housing market can influence drought conditions and water supply.
How Colorado Springs became the center of America’s evangelical political power
Once known as “Jesus Springs,” Colorado Springs helped shape modern evangelical politics in the U.S. Historian William Schultz explains how faith, military power and culture wars converged in the city and why that influence eventually faded.
The State Department’s secret playbook for using sports to advance Trump’s agenda
American diplomats are hoping the World Cup and Olympics can restore their influence shaping U.S. foreign policy.
Video: Opinion | Conservative Politics Can’t Just Be About Hate
Politics in America has taken an ugly turn, the conservative analyst Yuval Levin says on “The Ezra Klein Show,” arguing it has become too influenced by fear.
Congress, content creators, and Can't Let It Go : The NPR Politics Podcast
There's another fight on Capitol Hill as lawmakers work to get four more spending bills passed before the end of the month. We talk about what's at stake and how both parties are navigating the high cost of health care.Then, a look at how the Trump administration is using social media content to sway public opinion & influence governance, and what our panelists can't stop thinking about this week.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and political reporters Stephen Fowler & Jude Joffe-Block.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Concerns mount over AI's influence on mental health
FOX Business' Madison Alworth reports on the the impact of AI use on mental health as well as lawsuits against chatbot makers on 'Varney & Co.'
BP accused of ‘insidious’ influence on UK education through Science Museum links
Campaigners claim firm has bought sway over the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths
26 people charged in sports bribery scheme involving US university basketball players
The indictment alleges that over three years individuals influenced or fixed men's basketball games.
Brian Kemp survived Trump’s anger. Now he wants to shape Georgia’s future
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is trying to project political influence even as his term nears its end
2026 Entertainment & Outdoors Internship
Get Paid to Explore & Influence Door County. Seriously. The Peninsula Pulse is hiring a Summer Arts & Entertainment Intern to help tell the stories of Door County, one of […]
Pop Culture News: Updates on Music, Movies, TV and Celebrities
The latest news on all-things popular culture. Get updates on the icons of pop culture, including celebrities, musicians, social media influencers and more.
We need transparency in college sports
Given the explosive synergy between NIL contracts and the transfer portal, placing more restrictions on how players can transfer is a good first step to dampen the influence of NIL on college sport…
Inside Trump's $11 billion health plan to replace "neo-colonial" USAID
The new program aims to boost U.S. influence and interests in developing nations without the NGOs delivered services through USAID.
Prof. Dorit Reiss Wins National Award for Distinguished Service in Health Law - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
Professor Dorit Reiss, who brings legal expertise to public health debates, has received a national award for her lasting contributions to the field as a scholar, policy adviser, and mentor. Faculty Who Lead: Dorit Reiss Professor Dorit Reiss receives the 2026 Distinguished Service Award from the AALS Section on Law, Medicine and Health Care. She is a leading expert on vaccine law, advising policymakers and providing expert analysis to journalists. Reiss mentors future health law scholars and combats misinformation online through evidence-based public education. Professor Dorit Reiss, a leading voice on vaccine law and policy, has won a national award recognizing her contributions to health law. She received the 2026 Distinguished Service Award from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Law, Medicine and Health Care. Presented at the AALS Annual Meeting in January, the award honors sustained service to public health and the health law academy through advocacy, public education, and mentorship. In presenting the award, Professor Doron Dorfman of Seton Hall Law School, chair-elect of the AALS Section on Law, Medicine and Health Care, described Reiss as “a committed public health advocate who has used her expertise to influence vaccine policy, research, and practice at both the state and federal levels for nearly two decades.” Reiss leads a widely read vaccine law listserv that provides real-time updates on litigation, regulatory developments, advisory committee proceedings, and public comment opportunities. The resource has become an important tool for lawyers, scholars, journalists, and public health professionals tracking fast-moving developments in vaccine policy. Her service extends to policymaking as well. She has supported vaccine-related legislation in California, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on vaccine mandates and non-medical exemptions, and serves on the Parent Advisory Board of Voices for Vaccines, a parent-led organization focused on reducing vaccine-preventable disease. Dorfman also highlighted Reiss’ active role in robust debates over vaccine safety and related laws and policies. “She directly engages misinformation by responding to anti-vaccination claims on social media with careful, evidence-based rebuttals,” Dorfman said. As federal vaccine policy undergoes significant change, Reiss has become a trusted source for major national news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, which regularly seek her expert analysis on new policies and decisions. Dorfman noted that Reiss is widely respected for her mentorship of health law faculty and scholars. “She is consistently generous with her time—approachable, willing to provide feedback, and a mentor to many in the field, including myself,” he said. At UC Law SF, Reiss brings the spirit of public service into the classroom, helping students understand how legal frameworks translate into real-world public health outcomes. She holds the James Edgar Hervey ’50 Chair of Litigation, a position that recognizes faculty excellence in the field of litigation. The Distinguished Service Award highlights her sustained commitment to evidence-based vaccine policy, public education, and mentorship during a pivotal time for public health law.
Registration now open for 2026 Graduate Women in Science National Conference
Registration is now open for the 2026 Graduate Women in Science National Conference, “Innovate, Influence, Inspire," a one-day professional and personal development event for individuals in STEM at all career stages. The conference will be held 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, in Heritage Hall, 122 HUB-Robeson Center, on the University Park campus.
NASA’s Webb Delivers Unprecedented Look Into Heart of Circinus Galaxy
The Circinus Galaxy, a galaxy about 13 million light-years away, contains an active supermassive black hole that continues to influence its evolution. The
When chicken noodle soup helps your health – and when it doesn’t
Comfort alone doesn’t determine whether a food is healthy. Ingredients, how the soup is prepared and how often it’s eaten influence nutritional value.
Are Diverging Analyst Views Reframing the Policy Risk Narrative Around Universal Health Services (UHS)?
In early January 2026, Wells Fargo downgraded Universal Health Services’ rating and expressed a more cautious view on the hospital operator’s operating outlook, while TD Cowen reaffirmed a positive stance but trimmed its expectations. This divergence in analyst opinions highlights growing uncertainty around how sector-wide policy and reimbursement risks could influence Universal Health Services’ long-term positioning. We’ll now examine how this more cautious stance on hospital operating...
Dr. Oz touts federal crackdown on healthcare fraud by 'foreign influences' in L.A.
Trump officials announced a sprawling probe into benefits fraud across California on Friday, citing what they called a massive, coordinated effort to fleece government healthcare programs.
A Financier’s Twist on Buying Influence: Bankrolling Ballot Measures
Brian Heywood, a Seattle-area hedge fund founder, has spent millions to put conservative initiatives in front of Washington lawmakers and voters. Next up: parental rights and transgender athletes.
Coral reefs have a hidden daily rhythm scientists just discovered
Coral reefs appear to run a daily timetable for microscopic life in nearby waters. Scientists found that microbial populations above reefs rise and fall over the course of a single day, shaped by feeding, predation, and coral-driven processes. Some microbes peak during daylight, while others surge at night. These rhythms offer new clues about how reefs influence their surrounding environment.
CCTA continues to transform cardiac imaging, interventional cardiology
Mirvat Alasnag, MD, spoke to Cardiovascular Business about CCTA's growing influence in cardiology.
The problem with blaming everything on inflammation
What your favorite TikTok influencer gets right — and wrong — about this widespread concern.
Entertainment industry ramps up discussions about AI, creators and innovative tech at CES
CES 2026 is featuring extensive programming related to Hollywood, influencers and how the industry will continue to work with AI.
South Florida Is at Its Peak Political Influence After Maduro’s Capture
The region, which has long wielded influence on issues involving Latin America and the Caribbean, has now cemented a role as a global power player.
How Political Influence Shapes Agricultural Expansion in the Amazon
A new study reveals how political donations help large landowners reshape agriculture and the Amazon rainforest
Entertainment leaders amp up discussions about AI, creators and innovative tech at CES 2026
CES 2026 is featuring extensive programming related to Hollywood, influencers and how the industry will continue to work with AI.
Entertainment leaders amp up discussions about AI, creators and innovative tech at CES 2026
CES 2026 is featuring extensive programming related to Hollywood, influencers and how the industry will continue to work with AI.
Pro-Trump influencers take a victory lap amid fallout from viral video alleging fraud
The swift policy and political repercussions the video helped propel illustrate the symbiotic relationship between online content creators and the Trump administration's policy goals.
Calendar Pick: Workhorses of the Entertainment/Recreational Industry
Composed of veteran musicians Rob Keller (The Welfare Liners), Ben Reynolds (Chickasaw Mudd Puppies), Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz (Widespread Panic) and William Tonks (MrJordanMrTonks), Workhorses of the Entertainment/Recreational Industry is an Athens-based band inspired by the sounds of acoustic rock, traditional folk, country and blues. As of late, the band has played several shows and is working on its album. In a bill presented by local promoter Aubrey Entertainment, the quartet will be performing alongside Scott Low & the Blue Bouillon. Seen sharing stages with artists like Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton and Shovels & Rope, Low is a folk musician whose sound has been compared to Americana acts like Jamey Johnson and Ryan Bingham, but the influence of artists like Tom […]
$10M lawsuit filed against Houston business owner accused of making deepfake sexual content of influencer
A Houston business owner, already facing criminal charges after being accused of impersonating a Houston internet influencer and creating fake nude images of her, is now facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
Trump Family Businesses Rake in $4 Billion After His Reelection with Focus on AI, Crypto & Nuclear
Ventures launched by the Trump family since Donald Trump’s reelection have generated at least $4 billion in proceeds and paper wealth for the Trump family. With investments across sectors like real estate, hospitality, media, cryptocurrency and more, the Trumps are “increasingly integrating their business empire” into the wider U.S. economy, says David Uberti, who has been reporting on the family’s self-enrichment for The Wall Street Journal. The coupling of Trump’s economic and political influence is raising major questions about conflicts of interest. “You have all of these different business interests in different areas in which the government regulates,” and this “proximity to power may help along some of these deals and the valuations at which they’re made.” We look at the Trumps’ cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial and the Trump Organization’s planned $6 billion merger with a firm hoping to build a nuclear fusion plant to power AI data centers with Uberti, who says such “very speculative, highly risky corners of financial markets” are key to the family’s investment strategy.
NASA Hubble Helps Detect 'Wake' of Betelgeuse’s Elusive Companion Star
New Hubble and ground-based observations allowed astronomers to track the influence of a recently discovered companion star around Betelgeuse.
US capture of Maduro divides Latin America, thrilling Trump's allies and threatening his foes
Through a combination of tariffs, sanctions and military force, he has pressured Latin American leaders to advance his administration's goals of combating drug trafficking, halting immigration, securing strategic natural resources and countering the influence of Russia and China.
Why some people really struggle to lose weight more than others
Thousands of genes that have an influence on weight, say experts - which means weight loss isn't a level playing field
Bringing marine microbiome research into the classroom is an essential step toward a climate literate society
npj Climate Action - Recognizing the ecological roles of microorganisms as drivers of marine biogeochemical cycles and how they are influenced by seawater pollution, warming, and acidification is...
The invisible microbes that help keep us healthy
Not all microbes are villains—many are vital to keeping us healthy. Researchers have created a world-first database that tracks beneficial bacteria and natural compounds linked to immune strength, stress reduction, and resilience. The findings challenge the long-standing obsession with germs as threats and instead highlight the hidden health benefits of biodiversity. This shift could influence everything from urban design to environmental restoration.
The Pope, the Super Bowl and YouTube influencers: The wildest sports bets in 2025
You win some, you lose some ... or you win a lot, lose a lot. Inside the craziest bets the books saw last year.
Roger Penske named to Sports Business Journal’s “Influence 125” - Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site
Roger Penske was recently named to Sports Business Journal's "Influence 125" for his contributions to motorsports over the last 25 years.
Why I joined the cult of creatine
Suddenly, one day, creatine was everywhere, being talked up by every fitness influencer, mental health guru and powder peddler on the internet. It’s hard not to join in.
How the new class of billionaires solidified outsized political influence
How Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani’s politics shaped New York City’s new mayor
Mamdani’s parents and wife’s pro-Palestinian and anti-colonial activism offer a window into the political influences that shaped his path to Gracie Mansion.
She provides the raw material to Trump’s influencer machine
Margo Martin, a lesser-known member of the president’s staff, fuels social media with a blitz of Trump content.
3 keystone habits that can transform your health this year
Keystone habits are foundational behaviors that can influence other areas of your well-being. When you establish one, it sets off a cascade of positive changes.
What’s new, what’s not: Parsing the rhetoric around the Minnesota child care fraud firestorm
A conservative influencer’s viral video alleging widespread fraud at taxpayer-funded child care centers in Minnesota’s Somali community kicked off a political firestorm that was years in the making.
Bari Weiss fires back at George Clooney's claim that she is 'dismantling' CBS News
Bari Weiss has responded to George Clooney calling her hiring as editor-in-chief of CBS News a sign of Donald Trump's increasing influence over the media.
Year in review: the impact of Project 2025 : The NPR Politics Podcast
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at how Project 2025, a document published by the Heritage Foundation to outline policy objectives in a Republican administration taking office in 2025, has influenced the Trump administration's approach to governance.This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Researchers Examine Social Determinants of Health Screening Tools Used at Arkansas Health Facilities
A coalition of researchers, led by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, conducted a survey that examined how Arkansas health care facilities screen for and respond to social determinants of health. Social determinants of health are non-medical factors that influence a…
In a nutshell: Five of the top Sacramento business stories of 2025
In 2025, Sacramento’s largest businesses made moves that will influence the region’s landscape and economy for decades to come.
2025: Inside President Trump's escalating culture war with the entertainment industry
As Trump nears the end of his first year back in office, celebrities remain deeply entwined in politics while he expands his influence over Hollywood.
FaZe Clan's unraveling spotlights the creator economy's biggest risk
FaZe Clan's influencer exodus exposes a key risk for creator-economy companies that rely directly on talent to make money.
New issue: Don't count the calories | BBC Science Focus Magazine
January’s long nights, howling winds and unending drizzle that constitute a British winter all seem to scream: stay indoors, get under a blanket and stay very still. But every year, I reach January and the same conclusion as millions of others: it’s time for change. Christmas is what does it. There’s only so much indulgence the body can take. It starts on the 24th when, if you’re lucky, work’s finished and the fridge is full. Over the next seven days, I’ll feast like a Tudor monarch, picking at carcasses, stabbing at cheese and washing it all down with a bit of port (well, someone’s got to finish it). But by New Year’s Day I’ve had enough. Meaningful, lasting change isn’t easy. The science says so. Sure, a fitness influencer will scream at you until they’re Christmas-ham-pink in the face that losing weight is JUST SIMPLE MATHS: burn more calories than you consume, and you’ll lose weight. But your genes, biology and chemistry don’t work like a calculator. There’s more to it. So we’re here to help you construct bite-sized changes that will add up to significant improvements in your health and wellbeing this year.
Texas to lose D.C. clout as members of Congress chose not to run for reelection
Nine members of Congress from Texas are stepping down, signaling a loss of seniority and influence for the state in Washington after the 2024 elections.
Where Is Jodi Hildebrandt Now? Her Prison Sentence & More
Her practice and downfall will be explored in the new Netflix doc 'Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story.'
Voices: Women’s voices in sports media aren’t just valuable, they’re necessary
“Varied perspectives don’t just influence how we tell stories; they determine which stories get told at all,” writes Jaydin Kroutil in an op-ed.
Beloved social media dog Raffie dies from heart attack amid vicious assault
Beloved social media influencer dog Raffie of the Bundleofbullies TikTok account has died after a reported heart attack amid a vicious assault from another dog.
How a Spanish virus brought Google to Málaga
Spanish entrepreneur Bernardo Quintero, whose company is at the root of Google's Málaga cybersecurity hub, identified the author of the computer virus that influenced his career.
Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 in Pictures
Conservative influencers and politicians jockeyed for attention at the first Turning Point USA AmericaFest since Charlie Kirk's murder.
Bausch Health (BHC) Is Up 5.3% After US$1.6 Billion Debt Exchange - Has The Bull Case Changed?
Bausch Health Companies recently completed fixed-income exchange offers, issuing US$1.60 billion of new 10.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2032 to refinance existing senior secured notes under Regulation S and Rule 144A. This large-scale refinancing reshapes the company’s debt profile and may influence how investors assess its balance-sheet resilience and long-term obligations. Next, we’ll examine how this large US$1.60 billion debt exchange reshapes Bausch Health’s investment narrative and...
TPUSA’s America Fest Conference Showcased the Right’s Civil War
Prominent conservative influencers and lawmakers sparred at TPUSA's America Fest, it's first major conference since the murder of Charlie Kirk.
A national grant expands faith and health education - News
A new grant is helping Missouri State faculty teach students how to recognize and respond to the influences of faith and spirituality in care settings.
Your roommate’s genes may be shaping your gut bacteria
Scientists studying thousands of rats discovered that gut bacteria are shaped by both personal genetics and the genetics of social partners. Some genes promote certain microbes that can spread between individuals living together. When researchers accounted for this social sharing, genetic influence on the microbiome turned out to be much stronger than previously thought. The study suggests genes can affect others indirectly, without DNA ever being exchanged.
Vogue Business’s Top 10 Words of the Year
The terms that influenced and defined culture in 2025 across fashion, beauty, sustainability and tech.
A rift in MAGA has top Heritage Foundation officials leaving to join with Mike Pence
The exit of more than a dozen staffers follows turmoil at Heritage and the larger conservative movement over the role of right-wing influencers who've promoted antisemitic and other extremist ideas.
Year in review: Congress' successes & failures : The NPR Politics Podcast
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at what lawmakers were able to get done -- or not -- in 2025, and how that may influence their 2026 agenda.This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
The art of the hook: How Simon Squibb redefines influence
British entrepreneur Simon Squibb made his fortune — then amassed legions of followers by giving away sharp business advice for free.
Mahmood Mamdani’s 'Slow Poison' centers politics of belonging in postcolonial Uganda : NPR's Book of the Day
Mahmood Mamdani — a professor of government at Columbia University and the father of Zohran Mamdani, NYC’s next mayor — has spent decades researching colonialism and its effects on the African continent. His work is both political and personal, influenced by his own experience in Uganda as an exiled citizen deemed nonindigenous by colonial structures. In today’s episode, Mamdani talks to NPR’s Leila Fadel about his newest book, Slow Poison, an account of colonial legacy in Uganda, the rise of the country’s modern autocrats, and the politics of belonging that surround it all.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Turning Point exposed a brewing MAGA civil war. Can JD Vance unite it?
This weekend’s gathering of young Republicans and conservative influencers in the Arizona desert offered a glimpse into the divisions already fraying President Donald Trump’s coalition even before its lame-duck leader is out of the picture.
Jake Paul Takes Delivery of a Wild, One-Off Widebody Ferrari Purosangue With a Starry Headliner
Before American influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul stepped into the ring with British heavyweight Anthony Joshua on Friday, he took delivery of a new Ferrari Purosangue. Dubai-based outfit Venuum customized the SUV, and it is arguably one of the flashiest Purosangue builds ...
Top Strategies for Businesses to Gain AI Recommendations
How to Improve Your Business’s AI Search Visibility Washington, United States – December 17, 2025 / Monic AI Systems / How Businesses Can Improve Visibility in AI Search Tools Like ChatGPT As artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT increasingly influence how people find information and evaluate products and services, businesses are adjusting how they present […]